Antiquity
by Purple Pizza Turtle
Summary: Vindictive darkness encroaches the land. At its darkest hour, the country needs a symbol of hope, but the boy is merely an imitation. Fate becomes a lie as Hyrule plunges into a devastating war beyond what is good and evil. The story of a hero that cannot fulfill his duty, and a villain who fights for what is just.
1. Prologue

**~PROLOGUE~**

**Victon**

I am sitting down in my cabin, thinking. I left Hyrule, boarding the good ship _Chrysanthemum _about a month ago, and only now do I realize that my journey ended the moment I watched Hyrule fade away in the distance, as I made my way to the seas with a few friends. Hyrule is now at peace, but at what cost? How many bodies are littered across its surface? How many families have been separated?

My own family fell into ruins. The noble and ancient House of Dephesen grew from its roots, towering above anything else, like the tallest tree in a forest. But then disaster happened. The forest caught on fire. Our own tree burned, from tip to root, and my siblings and I swore revenge. We took our enemies to war, and then the country turned to ashes and a mountain of corpses. But we won. From the ashes that burned down the forest came a single seed. I left, but my siblings planted it. They will grow the House of Dephesen back to its former glory.

The decision to leave Hyrule was one that I thought about for only a few hours. What was left for me there? When my brother, King Landon, sat on his rightful throne, I realized that my own part in the story was done. My calling was elsewhere - Landon now rules the greatest empire in the world, and I left in the hopes that I can do something equally great. Aboard Uncle's boat, I left for exotic cities built upon gold and promise, like Ginsha or the Most Divine City of Salkenhana. The next chapter of my life will continue there.

I am somewhat apprehensive of what will become of me when I reach there. Will I ever return to Hyrule? Should I turn back now? When I told Zelda that I will leave by the morrow, I also told her not to fill her mind with sorrow; "I will return home with stories and riches," I said. Is she worried about me?

I must leave behind everything of my past. That is the only way to press forward. But at the same time, I must not forget what happened to Hyrule. My people's story must be immortalized. That is why I have created this: a chronicle of the events that took place, from not only my own eyes, but the eyes of many other heroes. Link. Zelda. Colin. Celia. Landon. Victon. Ashei. You will see the devastation that unfolded through our perspectives.

This chronicle does not follow everybody in equal measure, however. A large portion of the chapters will be told from Link's view. You might interpret him as the hero of the story, but remember this: everybody who resisted the darkness that swept over Hyrule is a hero. Link was only a young man, about my age, yet I greatly admire him. In our darkest hour, with all of Hyrule poised against us, Link was the only one willing to fight, and true to his word, he fought. Link possessed a certain courage that makes his more than a hero in my eyes. In a land where people were almost as powerful as the Goddesses, Link was only mortal, but he seemed to be more like that.

Zelda loved him. By the Goddesses, she loved him, and he loved her back. He was what kept her hoping for a brighter future. Before our enemies stormed Hyrule Castle, I remember Zelda appearing to be perpetually depressed, as though something was missing from her life. Then she found Link, in a twist of fate, and the void that haunted Zelda was enamoured by him.

As much as I admire Link, I also despise him. He left Zelda. Actually, he left all of us. Link was our symbol of hope, and he left just as quickly as he appeared. He may not have had a choice regarding the matter; he had to leave regardless, but moments before he left us, it was almost as though he lost the will to fight. He turned into a coward. Our symbol of hope was nothing but a mummer's farce in the end.

I will try to write Link's story through how he would see the world (I never got to ask him how he saw the world, as he left before I could do so). I implore you, the reader, to judge him for yourself, not based on his own chapters, but on the chapters of other people. From his own eyes, he thinks of himself to be an ordinary man. But he was something more than that to everybody else. Even the Half-Gods looked up to him.

I left Hyrule so quickly that I never asked anybody else specifically about their own adventures - I pieced it together myself, based on what information was present. But there are gaps in the storyline that make no sense. I decided that I will fill in those gaps with my own interpretation, even if I am wrong. And if I am wrong, so what? The magic of any story is the reliance on the reader to stretch their own mind, and to broaden their horizons. But here are the facts: Hyrule is saved, our enemies vanquished, an ancient civilization fell to ruins, magic exists in some humans, two crystals hold unearthly powers, and Hyrule hangs in a precarious balance decided by one man's courage. Everything else is up to your own interpretation.

The stories of the other people (aside from myself) will most likely be riddled with errors, such as character relationships being different then how they actually were. And I apologize for that, but factuality on that front is beyond my control.

Link was one character that I wish to heavily emphasize on. Another one is Dragmire, or if you have had past knowledge of these events, then you likely know him as Ganondorf. Like Link, I hate him and admire him, but for entirely different reasons. He was the one responsible for the destruction. He mobilized our enemy and was the one who took the first strike. He was our greatest enemy. I cannot help but despise him for what he did.

But I also respect Ganondorf for his strength. I cannot imagine anybody else who is willing to persist even after he lost his family and everything he had ever known (even I had Zelda, Landon, and other supporters with me - Ganondorf was truly alone). That is why I will write chapters about him, but the chapters about him will be told during his childhood, which takes place in a different time then the rest of the story. When he was a little boy, he kept the name Dragmire, and therefore, keep in mind that his chapters will be flashbacks of his youth.

The story spans almost exactly a year. That is why I am splitting this chronicle into four parts: Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring. Summer is when everything is at its best. Autumn is where, like the leaves on trees, our lives began to fall part. Winter is when the worst happens. Spring is where we rebuilt.

On a final note, many people die over the course of this story, and I will not spare you any details. I hope you will grow to admire the people who fought the war, as I have, and I intend for you to become emotionally distraught as they begin to die like flies, as I did. Nobody is safe (aside from Landon, Zelda, and I, as I already revealed that we are all okay).

And so I welcome you to my world. This is a story of darkness, of humanity's worst, and of its best as well. There are no true villains, only people who have conflicting ideas, and I hope to bring that to your attention as the story progresses. Looking back at Ganondorf, I realize that he himself turned out alright at the end. It was what happened to him that turned him into such a cruel, monstrous man. But he was a just man. However, I will let you decide that for yourself.

Sitting down, with a quill in hand, I think about how this story should start. It needs to begin with Link's chapter, I realize, but before that...

Before I let you read what the world looks like through Link's eyes, I wish to capture who he is in a few immortal words. The quill glides across the paper, and I write:

_A being of divine courageousness: a god among men; a keeper of all that is right; mortality personified; the grand source of exaltation and hope. An awakening of what the world is, and its beauties, and a realization of what humanity is, and its complexity; he is an alignment of what is right and wrong in the universe, magnificence and maliciousness are the two sides of the same coin, and that coin describes who he is. _

I pause. What lesson did he teach me? Why is he so important that I describe him like I would describe a god? A line below, I write:

_A being that need not to preach his wisdom, but his knowledge passed on regardless; his soul curtains the truth: reality is naught but perception._

* * *

**~END PROLOGUE~**

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Hope you enjoyed this prologue. This work means a lot to me, as I've spent months crafting it in such a way that it feels truly unique, as though you've never read anything like it. If I'm to be blunt, I've grown tired of the generic hero-saves-the-world-story, and decided to build around it, so that the plot feels different. I've worked on defining the characters to make them feel both unique and lifelike.

This story has a happy ending, as you might have guessed. This prologue is written by Zelda's younger brother, Victon, and he already reveals that he, Landon (Zelda's older brother), and Zelda are safe. But do not misinterpret that as a sign that absolutely everything will turn out well. Major characters will die.

Perspective is a large part of this story, and I did not want to build Link as the prototypical hero. In this story, he is a man with doubts about himself, and he does not always wish well for other people, or do the right thing. Likewise, I do not want Ganondorf to be a regular villain who simply wants to destroy the world. He is fighting for something deeper, more righteous then that, and I very well can imagine that you will sympathize with him, or even support him.

If you're interested in the prospect of this story, then by all means, show your support by favouriting or alerting it. If you have any comments, whether positive or negative, then feel free to leave a review or Private Message me. Your words are always appreciated :) .

Lastly, thanks for reading this story. If you choose to stick with it, then that means a lot for me. The reason I ask for reviews is because I like to know what other people think of this, and where I can improve.


	2. Summer: Link I

** SUMMER**

**~Link~**

Father laid the scabbard upon the glass desk in front of me. "It's yours to keep."

The windows were open and radiance poured into our home. I picked up the sheathe, and held it against the sunlight. Carved into the metal sheathe were intricate designs of wolves that stretched across the length. Whoever forged the sheathe was clearly one of the best blacksmiths in Hyrule City, I realized. As an apprentice blacksmith, I often watched my master, Renais, create designs similar to this, but not quite as skillfully...

Why am I, of all people, holding this? I make swords, not wield them. How did Father obtain this sword?

"It's beautiful," I observed. From the corner of my eye, I could see Father's chest huff, and his eyes were gleaming with pride. An otherwise exhausted man seemed to have brightened from sight of his son holding the sword and sheathe. "Where did you get it from?"

We were never a particularly rich family. Father worked as a guard for Chancellor Zeal, one of the King's most trusted advisors. The hours were long, and the pay was certainly not fair for how loyal and diligent Father has been to the Crown. The people of Hyrule City were never welcome to the idea of women earning a wage, and Mother still finds it difficult to obtain work as a tailor for clothing. By the age of fourteen, I sought a job as an apprentice to a fairly upscale blacksmith in the newer part of Hyrule City. All three of us work as much as we can, but even then, we often cannot afford more then the clothes on our back and bread for dinner. Colin is thirteen... but I don't want him to work and leave schooling.

But Father ignored my question. "The sheathe pales in sight of the sword. Go ahead, pull on it," he said, smiling. Is the sword so breathtakingly defining that it makes even Father smile? I wasted no time laying the sheathe upon the table, one hand keeping the sheathe there, and the other pulling backward.

The sword glided out flawlessly. It was a deep, bright silver colour, long yet light in my hands. When I stretched it out, the sword felt completely natural, as though I have held it before.

"It's been freshly forged," I observed, and Father nodded. "We can't afford anything like this, so how did you obtain it?"

Father did not seem to want to give an answer. "One of Prince Landon's own swords was melted down and reforged by the King's blacksmith himself. This sword was specifically tailored for your body strength. I want you to keep it."

"But-" I gulped, and stopped before I could continue. This steel was once used by the Prince? What did I do to earn it?

Father continued before I could ask him any more questions. "It was a reward by the Chancellor. He gives it to you as a reward for my continued loyalty in the weeks ahead."

"Thank you Father, but I mustn't accept it."

"But Link, it is already yours, my son!" he smiled proudly. "It was made for _you_, and only you. The moment the sword was reforged, even before the blacksmith finished cleaning it, was when you claimed the sword. Take it. Whether you want it is not my concern, I only want you to understand that the sword is yours."

I slowly nodded, feeling the sword's dull edge once more. The hilt was embedded with dyes of yellow and silver - the colours of Hyrule - and, like the rest of the sword, was recently created.

Hyrule's colours were built out of piety toward the Goddesses. Their colours were red, green, and blue, but it was somewhat of a rule for kingdoms to use only two colours for their flag. Why not use red and green, and exclude blue? Why not use green and blue, and exclude red? Hylians believe that all three of the Golden Goddesses were equally important - Din created the Earth, Farore created all life, and Nayru created the order of the universe - and therefore, choosing two would be a grave insult to the Goddesses. Therefore, my people chose not to include any of them, and opt for yellow (they _are_ called the Golden Goddesses, after all) and silver, to represent the steel needed to unify our lands.

The sword I am holding is one that exemplifies everything Hyrule stands for. It is then that I realized that I must keep the sword in excellent condition. I have only loved two things throughout the course of my life: my family, before anything else, and my home. Hyrule is an unforgiving, cruel place, and deathly cold in the winters, but the lands have been good to me.

"I'll keep it, Father. Thank you for it." My father flashed a toothy grin. But then, realization dawned upon me. "Wait, what about Colin?"

"What about him?"

I sheathed the sword and sighed. "How could I accept such a nice gift when my younger brother gets nothing?"

"They only offered to forge one sword," Father excused himself, and cleared his throat. "I suppose I can find Colin something nice. Perhaps a fishing rod," he said.

"Perhaps he can keep this sword instead," I said. _I change my mind._ Hyrule is important, but my family comes looked up from the table, and was surprised when I put it down next to him. "I've never done anything to earn this. And I'm nearly a grown man, too old to practice my skills with a sword. Colin is still young. He has the potential. Perhaps you can gift me a fishing rod instead."

Father said, "Then you may give it to him. But until you do, the sword will remain yours." He sighed, rubbing his forehead, gripping his own sword, and tightening the leather vest he wore. "I must be off now. When Colin comes home, remember to tell him."

* * *

The sun would soon vanish over the horizon; in perhaps an hour, the bells would signal that midnight has passed. And as soon as Colin walked through the door, with eyes that remained transfixed to the floor, I knew that there was a problem.

To my surprise, Colin did not proceed straight to his room, or leave the house again, but instead, he sat on a stool and placed an untouched loaf of bread on the table. _Odd._ He gave the sword, now sheathed, a quick glance, but paid no further attention to it.

"Where did you get the loaf of bread?" I asked.

"I would prefer not to talk about it," he said, mumbling the words, and his voice was scarcely audible.

I prefer for you to be honest. Are we not kin? I wanted to remind him of that, but he already knew... "Where did you get it?"

"I don't want to-"

"What you want and don't want is not my concern. Your safety and wellbeing are my two concerns... How did you, a boy with no coin, come home with bread?Where were you? Who did you meet? How did you get the bread. These kinds of questions worry me." I sat upright. "You know the rules."

He could repeat them as though they were holy passages in the _Hylian Gates, _memorized completely. "Hyrule City is dangerous. Only trust your family. Don't talk to strangers. Mind your manners."

"And above all else?"

"Only take what is yours," he finished.

"Did you steal the bread?" Silence. Colin remained stationary, never looking up at me. Ah, so this is what made Colin upset. "I don't care what you did, and whatever you did will not make me think any less of you. Tell me what you did; I swear I will not so much as raise my voice."

Colin still trembled, and anxiously tapped his fingers against the wooden table. He sighed. "There are two boys who live near us, by the freemarket, that I met today. Talo's twelve and Malo's eight, and they... they..."

He's about to cry, I realized. Colin was never strong emotionally, and often broke into tears over rather trivial matters. But this was something more than that. Colin was acting strangely, and as much as it hurt me to press my sobbing brother to recall a story that made him uncomfortable, I pressed on. "What did they do?"

"They went to the nearby bakery and stole six loafs. I told them not to do it. They would not listen. I told them I would have no part in it. Talo told me - he told me to be a man." I hunched forward. "They stole two for each of us. I did not want them, and I told them as much. But they insisted on me having one loaf, at the very least," Colin said. "I swear, I never would have eaten them!"

"I believe you. And I thank you for the truth."

Colin was beginning to calm down. His narrow shoulders lowered and his face turned a shade lighter, from the pink-red it became. I sat up, and turned. I should purchase fruits and vegetables from the freemarket, and perhaps I may come across these two thieves...

I placed my right hand on the doorknob when Colin spoke up. "What does it mean to be a man?"

"Nothing," I replied quickly. "There are good men and there are bad men. There are men with honour and morals and those without. To simply be a man is pointless, surely, but to be a virtuous man is what we should all aspire toward."

"Then... what does it mean to be virtuous?"

_Hmm._ I paused for a moment, until I finally said, "We all do our duty when there are no costs, no sacrifices. We all do what is right by virtue when we have nothing to lose. Yet there comes a point when one has to sacrifice something in order to do their duty."

"How important must the sacrifice be?"

"It must be substantial. Sacrifice is never easy, or else it is never truly sacrifice. Only when you have made the right choice can you be virtuous," I finished. Colin nodded, and he appeared to understand. "I'm proud of you. What you did today was the right thing."

"Thank you," he said. I reached for the doorknob once again, and Colin stood up. "I'll go with you."

* * *

Let the night embrace us, I thought, and all of its horrors. Fear is the mind's true opponent. It disguises itself as doubt, creeping into your body and making itself known. The doubt turns to fear over a few seconds. Your breathing no longer paces itself, you can hear the constant _thump_ your heart makes, and the collar around your neck suddenly becomes unbearably tight. The night gathers, but I will not let fear in. I gripped the hilt of the sword Father gave me. So long as I have it, I am safe.

Colin and I left for the freemarket, despite dusk quickly arriving. We believed we had time; the bells had not rung, after all. But then the once busy Hylian streets became hollow in both spirit and presence, and I realized that the bells did not happen to ring today. We were almost at the freemarket. But we turned back instantly, going home. The fruits I hoped to buy suddenly became trivial, and when I turned back toward home, my only hope was that the streets were truly empty.

I told Colin to keep quiet. Aside from our own footsteps and the occasional wolf or owl, we seldom heard anything. And that was my hope. The streets we crossed were narrow and surrounded by buildings on either side. Between every other building was a small alleyway. These alleyways were largely intentional when Hyrule City was being built, or so I've heard. But it amused me how these alleyways, which were supposed to give functionality to what is otherwise a maze of homes and shops, turned into my nightmare.

Then it happened.

It was nothing but a blur from an alleyway, and I heard a pair of footsteps running toward us. I brought out my sword, and swung it down to meet his own. Colin shrieked, and I would have screamed for help, but the words became caught in my throat. The need for anything else in the world vanished, and I only saw my own survival hanging delicately.

I took a few steps back, and he simply looked at me. While he was wearing a cloak, his grey beard indicated that he was fairly old, and his eyes seemed to plead for rest. _He wants my sword_, I realized. It's the only item I have that is worth anything. But if I give up the sword, Colin and I are defenseless, and he is free to kill us...

Colin...

He stood by the side, petrified, and no longer screaming. I gathered what little courage I had and charged at the man. _For Colin_. While I never fought with a sword myself, I always assumed that it was a simple task: he swings left, you swing right. He thrusts, you back away. Once you're able to lift your sword faster, you can attack for yourself, and succeed should you be quicker.

It was nothing like that. My own movements with the sword were awkward. He brought his sword down on me. If I responded a moment later, I would be short of a head. He thrust his own blade. I was nearly stabbed, but the sword still made a rip in my fabric. And after every strike, he would follow up with another one. My arms started to lose their strength. I could feel the will to live exiting my veins. If I were to die, so be it.

"Colin, leave!" I shouted, keeping my eyes on my opponent. I realized that I could not win, but perhaps Colin could escape.

Thrust after thrust forced me against the wall. When I expected another thrust, and braced for it, he swung his sword to the right. I could feel the sword slicing through the outer layer of my chest. I screamed and fell to the ground.

"No!" I could hear Colin yell, but I dare not look at him. I kept my eyes on my opponent, who had his sword on top of me, preparing to strike. Then a blinding flash of white illuminated the world around me, if only for a minute, and my would-be killer was not in sight. And the white light was replaced with red, which beat on the ground. I could feel the life escaping me. I looked at Colin one last time before everything around me would inevitably turn black. Another cloaked figure approached Colin, this time, I saw an old lady. She cupped his cheek, and I could not make out her words.

Then the world turned black.

* * *

**~END CHAPTER~**

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Hope you enjoyed this incredibly short chapter. While I felt that the pacing was awkward, and that the chapter was divided into three scenes, Link's introduction serves a pivotal point in this story, and Link being assaulted is what really drives his own character from here. A few other characters are also shown, and I think it'll be interesting to see how Colin views Link, compared to how Link views himself.

Remember, if you have any comments, concerns, or criticisms regarding this story, feel free to private message me or leave a review. Thanks for reading, and have a good day!


	3. Summer: Landon I

**SUMMER**

**~Landon~**

I often spent my winters journeying South since I was old enough to wield a sword, visiting the Cities of the Forest - Ordon, Autumn Valley, and Farore's Hearth - and even beyond the lands of Hyrule, voyaging aboard Uncle Willan's boat to exotic places carved into jungles, like Ginsha, with its pyramids that stand taller than Hyrule Castle, or the Most Divine City of Salkenhana, which was contained by gold walls. I've always found the winters that Hyrule Castle braves to be unbearably cold, and it serves as an excuse to leave the city as often as possible.

But I never travel South in the summer. In the hottest months, Ordon smells like manure and pasture, and the salty smell of the sea that I have grown fond of is greatly weakened. As soon as I rode through the gates of the city on horseback, I knew I would prefer to stay here no longer than I need to.

"Do we have sufficient coin for a meal?" I asked.

"Plenty more than that," Ignacio answered. "Ordonian wines are said to be at their best in the summer. Perhaps we could find a tavern of some sort-"

Rylan sighed. "We aren't here for wine; let's find and greet the Terminian prince and escort him to Hyrule Castle."

Father told me that the heir to Termina was coming for a diplomatic visit of sorts, and that it would only be appropriate if I were to meet him here, at Ordon, the largest port in Hyrule. "It would be well-suited if the Prince of Hyrule were to escort the Prince of Termina," Father told me. I disagreed, but still had little say in the matter. By the same night, I took a few belongings and rode south on horseback with two knights in my personal command: Sir Ignacio and Sir Rylan. I was raised alongside them, and I occasionally feel as though they were more like my siblings than Zelda or Landon.

I glanced at Ignacio. A tall man of my age, with fair skin and blond, curly hair. He often smiled, and his smile exuded confidence and dangerousness in equal measure. I would feel threatened to have him in my presence, but years of being around him have waned that effect on me._  
_

"The weather's good," Ignacio observed, and I silently nodded in agreement. "Even if the royal brat's boat makes good time from Termina to Hyrule, we'll still have hours before he would come ashore."

"He's their Prince," Rylan quickly said, "you ought to speak to and about them with respect."

Ignacio, however, did not care for Rylan's advice (as usual). Instead, the former simply smiled, and said, "Want to know why Termina's flag has strips of plain white all over it?"

Rylan scoffed. "Don't."

"They've lost so many wars that they confuse their own flag with the flag for surrender."

I could not help but laugh at that, and Rylan shot me a glare as well. Rylan was always quick to defend others - mostly because he was targeted himself so often. A skin like copper was rare in Hyrule, and it often gave Rylan unwanted attention from others. "We are not going to idle for hours on end, waiting for the royal brat," I decided. Ignacio grinned. "Rylan, we wish to drink our fill of Ordonian wine while we are here. Perhaps some sleep as well. You're welcome to stand by the piers, waiting for their ship, or join us."

"For us, three's a crowd, but we'd make an exception for you," Ignacio agreed, nodding.

"As it happens, I have my own matters to attend to," Rylan said, flushing. He gave me a glance. "May I be excused?"

I nodded, and he quickly disappeared into the crowds going through the busy Ordonian streets.

Ignacio and I remained there, at the foot of the port. We left our horses in a nearby stable, and paid the owner double the going rate he charges - these were important horses, after all; well-bred and groomed, trained for everything I could use a horse for, and still energetic. Might I say, looking at Ordon from horseback made it seem insignificant, but when you are at eye level with the hundreds of peasants making their way through the busy roads, the port looks chaotic. Ignacio spoke of a particular tavern he had come across the last time he had been to Ordon, and I let him lead us to it.

Buildings rose on either side of us. Shops, inns, and temples were two or three stories tall, carved of stone, and I could immediately tell that this is where people spend most of their days. Beyond that were smaller, more recent businesses: weavers and cloth-makers displayed their wares in front of us, offering for Ignacio and I to feel the silk used to create the material; fishermen and farmers offered fresh produce, although the fish seemed to be dried in the sun and preserved only with small amounts of salt. Jewelers were few and far in Ordon, but every shop that sold something important had multiple guards both inside and outside of it, and the shops of spice traders were guarded even more heavily. One shop that kept in my mind sold nothing but roses and other flowers. It simply had an old lady standing at the counter, talking and smiling to customers.

Ignacio forgot where the tavern was several times, and had to ask for directions. "Where's the Ordonian Spirits?" Ignacio repeated to several people, until somebody gave an answer. One particularly nosy peasant asked why we wanted to know, but we waved her off and continued without her directions. We eventually did find the building. It stood short, and unlike the buildings around it, the tavern was made of wooden logs and smelled more of the sea than of manure.

"It serves fine wine?"

"The best we can get here," Ignacio answered.

"How about the meat?"

"Won't be too much better than the meat anywhere else in Ordon. It's inedible - you have to build the stomach for it."

There were several other people in the tavern - a burly old man laughing along with a smaller woman; a young lady sitting by herself, stirring her drink, with her palm cupping her cheek; an old man playing the ocarina as background music; two servers; and four sellswords with a rancid odour and ripped clothes - but they all ignored us when we walked in. Ignacio and I took seats by the window, so we could enjoy the view of ships entering and leaving Ordon's natural harbour. But even when the serving wench was asking for what I wanted, I still could not keep my eyes off the young woman, with her straight, golden hair, sitting alone. I feel as though I've seen her before...

"We'll both have a cup of wine each," Ignacio told the wench.

Before she could leave, I pulled on her arm, and pointed to the lady sitting alone. "Did she already pay for her drink?"

"She did not-"

I handed the wench a silver coin. "Tell her that it's on me, then." The wench remained silent, although she looked confused. She immediately approached the young lady, dropped the coin in her palm, and pointed toward me. As our server left for our wines, the blonde looked at me, and I retained eye contact. After a moment, she stood up and approached us.

I expected her immediate gratitude and perhaps a short thanks. Instead, she reddened and slapped me.

My hand was on the hilt of my sword, prepared to defend myself against this sudden assault. The sellswords glared at me all the while; they were certainly armed, and would not take lightly for a man drawing a sword upon a lady. _Even the burly old man was challenging me with his facial expression. _To show I meant no threat, I let go of the sword and kept my hands in the air.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked. _I thought I did, which is why I paid for your drink_; the words, however, got stuck in my throat, and I sat there, staring at her, looking like I was dumbstruck. But my silence only seemed to further anger her. "Do you think I'm that kind of girl, that if you pay for my drink, you can do whatever you may with me?"

"No, I-"

"Are you from here?"

Ignacio could not help but smile at my own misfortune. _Damn the bastard_, I thought to myself, giving him a cold glare. "We're from the Capital."

She scoffed. "My father, the mayor, owns this tavern. I _work_ here. I'm simply on break, enjoying a drink. And I don't need your charity." I stood there, silent, waiting for her to continue. "What are you waiting for?"

"What do you want from me? A second silver coin?" That was my own stupidity at work, but it made Ignacio openly laugh.

The mayor's daughter did not find that amusing, however. She slapped me once again, but this time, I did not show any threats of retaliation. "I'm expecting an apology!"

"For what? Offering to pay for your drink?"

"What makes you think that offering to pay for my drink is the right thing to do? Do I look like I'm impoverished? Do my clothes look like they're tattered?"

"Perhaps your overreacting," I offered, and laid back in my chair. "I did not mean any offense."

She crossed her arms. "I found it offensive, which is why I'm asking for any apology."

"It was not offensive, and I did nothing wrong."

"My father is the mayor of Ordon," she said. I could tell she was trying to be threatening, but she sounded scared.

I smiled. "Do you know who I am?"

"You could be the King for all I care, but that doesn't mean you're right. Apologize."

_I'm the Prince, you fool._ I would not dare tell her that, however. "No. You are being unreasonable."

"Apologize."

"You are psychotic," I said calmly, but evidently loud enough for everybody to hear me, as I could feel every eye in the room fall on me. My breathing was ragged, and I could feel my heartbeat.

I expected her to slap me again. This time, I _will_ retaliate. Instead, she uttered two words: "Get out."

"Gladly." I left the tavern immediately, and although I did not look back, I could hear Ignacio's footsteps behind me. We stood outside of the tavern for a few moments, watching the waves, when one of the serving wenches came outside to give us our wines.

"You must forgive Lady Ilia for her short temper. She's had a rough time the past few months... her brother died of the measles a season ago, and her father is becoming more and more stressed regarding his job, especially now that elections will happen soon," the wench said.

I kept quiet, and subtly accepted the flagon with wine inside. Ignacio, however, gave her my thanks.

"Now what?" I asked. I glanced at the sun - it was likely to not even be noon yet.

"Rylan said he would meet us by the pier," Ignacio offered. He led the way. And this time, he did not need to ask for directions.

* * *

By the pier, the smell of manure was partially replaced by the smell of saltwater. Of the three Cities of the Forest, Ordon was the only one that bordered the sea, and was also Hyrule's only major port along its southern coast. The exotic spices and fabrics that originated from lands far away all go through Ordon at some point. During the summer months, when trading is at its profitable, there are always ships entering and leaving the harbour.

It was surprisingly interesting to watch Ignacio masterfully describe where the ship is from, what cargo it is carrying, and where it is heading next. "That one ship has three stripes painted in orange, across an otherwise checkered background. That is certainly the symbol for a Tiserene ship. The Tiserenes are famous for their exports of mangos and other tropical fruits, so that's what they're carrying."

I laughed. "How about that one?" I asked, pointing to a ship with a red bird painted on its hull.

"That is the symbol for Ginsha. Like Tiseria, Ginsha sells mangoes, but it chiefly exports human labour."

"What?"

"Ginsha practices slavery. Why would they be bringing a boat like that here, if not to smuggle slaves into Hyrule as well?"

"That's ridiculous. Hyrule has never practiced slavery."

"Consider it."

I looked off in the distance. We've played this game for perhaps an hour, and that is enough time for most ships to enter and leave the harbour. However, one ship, that looked little more than a blur from my angle, stayed there the entire time. "What about that ship?" I realized who's ship that was. "Oh."

_Uncle Willan_. I walked at a brisk pace, past the crowds, and I muttered "Excuse me," at least a dozen times before I actually stood in front of the ship. I walked on the deck, and Uncle stood on the side of the ship, observing the sea and city as though they were some sort of portrait. "It's been too long since you've come to Hyrule," I quickly said, before he could notice me.

He turned and smiled. "Perhaps. But I'd like to show you something. Do you know what happened exactly thirty years ago, in this very town?" Willan asked. "No? Then I'd like to show you something." I grinned. Any thoughts of Ignacio, who seemed to have disappeared from the area, or Rylan, or the Terminian brat, or of Father disappeared. Willan understood me the best. And if there was anybody I looked up to, it was him.

Willan took me past the numerous buildings that were spread across Ordon; he took me past the pastures and open fields that surrounded them, and brought me far past the dirt roads that marked the way from Ordon to Farore's Hearth, and instead, we made our way through the forest. But Willan seemed to know where he was going.

We passed through the greenery and decaying logs, past the tall trees that provided homes to wildlife, and Willan grinned at me. "Thirty years ago, the King and I defended Hyrule against a Terminian invasion, but you would never hear anything about me when you ask somebody about this story. Your father had only recently been crowned King, and the Terminians, believing Hyrule to be in a state of political insecurity, took their might across the sea and attacked us. King Rohn led the Hylian armies himself, being the first one into battle, and quickly became a symbol of hope for Hyrule. But hope turned into despair when our army clashed against theirs just south of Kakariko, in the Battle of the Rosefield, and three Hylians died for every Terminian that perished.

At this point, the Varlen Empire decided to enforce peace, and sent a force of several thousand across the West Mountain Ranges. They did not expect to be ambushed by the bulk of Termina's forces, and they had to retreat and withdrew their pledge to help us. We did not give up. Their own supplies were running low, so they realized that the only way they can stay in Hyrule is to capture the Cities of the Forest. They laid siege to both Farore's Hearth and Autumn Valley, and were moving toward Ordon, where the remaining Hylian soldiers encamped themselves.

In a desperate effort, it was my own idea to lure them into this forest, which our soldiers knew infinitely better than their soldiers. We never directly fought them, but killed them from the shadows, and we would retreat before they could find us. Our losses were minimal, but their own was staggering. When they were depleted of any morale, and looked to give up on finding us, we attacked their army camps and slaughtered them by the thousands. Termina was forced to surrender." Willan smiled. "That battle took place right here, where we stand, thirty years ago. This was history, but I still feel exhilarated, walking through this forest... What do you feel when you walk through this forest?"

"Empty," I immediately answered. "I feel somewhat sad."

"But Farore was, and still is, good to us, by giving us such a good field for battle. Din also favours us, else we would not have won this war. Think about the Goddesses, Landon - they are looking out for you. They always have your best interests in mind, even if that is not immediately apparent. Have I ever told you about faith?" I shook my head. Willan was a pious man, as I learned the last time I saw him. Few are as devoted to the Three as he is.

We made our way over a river by a tree that had fallen down to the other side. _Obviously, somebody lives here._ Hyrule, especially in the South, was filled with people choosing to live in small homes in the wilderness, where they could claim large plots of land for themselves, and interact with others only when they wanted to.

Willan sighed and rubbed his forehead. "The next time I will see you, I will tell you what faith is, and what it means to be faithful."

"Why do you visit Hyrule so seldomly?" I asked. "Father misses you, and complains that you do not visit enough. You have a comfortable home in these lands."

"The day we won the war was the day I realized that I had no place in Hyrule. My older brother ascended to greatness as the King of Hyrule, and I remained a shadow in his wake. And so I decided that greatness was elsewhere. I bought a small ship and a crew of a dozen and set for the seas as a merchant."

I laughed and said, "I would hardly consider you great; you took thirty years to save up enough coin to replace that boat with your new one."

He looked at me with sad eyes. "There's still time."

Suddenly I felt guilty, as though I had brought up a thought he wanted to keep buried. The rest of the way, past another waterfall, a grove, and a steep hill, I kept quiet. At the top of the hill he stood still, watching as Ordon acted as the foreground for the calm, dark-blue seas.

Uncle Willan looked at me once again. "The Goddesses have a plan for us all. If I do not achieve my dreams before I lie on a deathbed, so be it. I am nearly fifty, and even now I am not entirely sure what my dreams are. But I take solace in the knowledge that everything will turn out for the best in the end. What are your dreams, Landon? Do you aspire to simply be the King of Hyrule once King Rhon himself passes away? Or do you want to be more than that?"

"What can be greater than being a king?"

"Being happy," he answered. "You look like your father when he was your age. Did anybody ever tell you that?"

"A few times, actually. Even Father acknowledges it."

"Do you know what he wanted to be when he grew up?"

"King?"

"A bard. He wanted to play music for people. Aye, being the King would be his lifestyle, but singing was his passion. Few people supported the notion of a singing king, and it was our own father who dissuaded him... Be happy, Landon. Be happy that the Goddesses are real, and that they have plans for you."

* * *

Willan had retired into his quarters, aboard his ship. Although he did not tell me that he wanted to be alone, he did hint it, and I offered to give him some time. _He's nothing like what I remember..._

As for myself, I found Rylan and Ignacio by the piers. They were waiting for the Terminian brat's ship, and Ignacio was particularly bored. "What did you and your uncle talk about?" Ignacio asked.

"Faith. His age. The Goddesses. Whatever popped into his mind," I answered, taking a seat there. I kept my eyes forward, looking for the Terminian flag on a ship. "If the ship does not arrive by tonight, we're leaving. Prince Cythen can find his own way to Hyrule Castle."

Rylan crossed his arms. "Your father said to wait for him. It would be the right thing to do."

"And if he does not show up?" I asked, looking at Rylan. "Do you really want to be here into nightfall? We'd be three sleepy knights who would make easy targets for thieves."

I somewhat hoped that the Terminian Prince did not appear soon, just so I could enjoy a dinner and sleep. But I knew that Rylan was right, that Father would be disappointed if I _didn't_ stay up all night waiting for him.

Yet I did not have to. Ignacio brought my attention to a ship off in the distance; barely noticeable, but it was certainly a large flagship that hoisted the Terminian flag.

Prince Cythen was all that he was rumoured to be: arrogant, rude, and took everything for granted. I knew I was not going to enjoy escorting him across the kingdom, to Hyrule Castle. But before I do that, I had something else I needed to do before leaving Ordon.

* * *

All it took was for the door to open and close for her to raise her head and look at me. She was talking to a customer over the bench, who ignored me.

"You," she hissed. "I told you to never come back."_  
_

I gave a smile. "You told me to get out. You did not say I could never return. And is that the way to speak to a paying customer?"

"What do you want?" she asked.

"To apologize."

"Oh," she said, as though she was let down. _Was the wench expecting a fight?_

I walked forward. "I acted unreasonably earlier today. You deserve an apology for my comments. Ilia, is it?" She nodded. "I'm sorry for my behavior. I hope you can forgive me."

"I don't know what to say..."

I held out a small, modest bouquet of roses and other local flowers for her. "These are for you, to show you that I genuinely regret my words. Do you forgive me?"

"Absolutely," Ilia immediately said, accepting the bouquet. "Would you like to stay for a drink?"

I shook my head. "I need to be somewhere. But thank you for the offer."

* * *

**~END CHAPTER~**

* * *

**Author's Notes**

This chapter stands in contrast to the last chapter, in the sense that they seem completely unrelated. And that's how most of this story is. Different characters are at different places, so their stories are very loosely entwined. The only thing that really connects these characters are the major events that happen in the story. And I think that really helps to emulate how the real world works.

I've tried to make Landon to be quite rude and arrogant himself, but he has some degree of morality. He's not a virtuous character in many ways, and as you might notice, he's unknowingly hypocritical. His only real friends are Ignacio and Rylan, and even then, he often alienates Rylan and makes Rylan seem like an outcast. He has a cooler relationship with his siblings, Victon and Zelda; both of them dislike him. You could say that he's somebody who's incredibly accomplished and talented, but he remains incredibly lonely. Perhaps that's why he felt the need to apologize to Ilia.

This story is heavy on foreshadowing. Where did Rylan go when Landon and Ignacio visited Ilia's tavern? Why did Link receive that sword from his father? I like to put these hints of what's to come in the later part of the story, yet I also like to make them incredibly subtle.

As usual, I'm always open to your feedback, whether positive or negative.


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